Kop van een sater 1778 - 1838

Anthonie van den Bos created this head of a satyr, or “Kop van een sater,” with pen and ink. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the rise of Neoclassicism led artists to revisit classical themes and motifs. Satyrs, creatures from Greek mythology, were often associated with revelry, nature, and untamed sexuality. Van den Bos's choice to depict a satyr reflects this renewed interest in classical antiquity, yet it also hints at the period’s complicated relationship to the human body. Note the satyr's wrinkled brow and piercing stare. Van den Bos captures an intensity in the satyr's expression, perhaps inviting us to consider the boundaries between the civilized and the wild, the human and the animal, as well as the emotional complexity inherent in these liminal spaces. The image resonates with its historical moment and still prompts us to reflect on cultural and personal identity today.